About this book
That Sweet Little Old Lady by Randall Garrett snaps open like a noir-tinged science fiction puzzle that dumps a twitchy Cold War paranoia into the hands of a young FBI agent. Ken Malone is assigned to protect the Ultra Top Absolute Secret project at Yucca Flats Labs—a race to build a non-rocket spaceship—only to discover the leak comes from an impossible source: a telepathic spy who steals secrets straight from scientists’ minds.
Garrett’s darkly comic spy story blends speculative technology, bureaucratic absurdity, and bizarre, memorable characters—the immortal “sweet little old lady,” a striking nurse, and Las Vegas gangsters—into a fast, tense narrative. First published in 1959, the tale carries the era’s anxieties about espionage and the ethics of mind-reading, while delivering clever twists and character-driven humor rather than high-tech spectacle. Themes of secrecy, identity, and the limits of law enforcement play out against a vividly rendered vintage backdrop.
Perfect for fans of classic science fiction and vintage spy stories, listeners who enjoy sharp humor, retro Cold War atmosphere, and tightly plotted short fiction will find this audiobook an entertaining, thought-provoking listen.
